Topic: Lets Get Back To 'The Real'

One thing that I dislike about the entertainment industry of today is that it has lost 'The Real' in an attempt to be cooler and more 'realistic and mature'.

When I say 'The Real', I'm talking about the mystical, magical, authentic and captivating essence that movies like 'My Neighbor Totoro', Jim Hensen's 'The Dark Crystal', 'NeverEnding Story' and MGM's 'The Wizard of Oz' contained and it is that same essence which is almost absolutely lost in the movies and television programs of this era in which we live. It seems as if the only programs that have retained that magical essence are the Ankama's Wakfu anime, BBC's Merlin, CN's Adventure Time, Adamson's 'Narnia' and Universal NBC's 'Peter Pan' and 'Hop', 'Tangled' to only name a few.

The media makers of today rely to heavily on computers and a vast array of green screens to create so many environments, creatures and ect that movies and other media created today don't have that strange etheral and otherworldly atmosphere that can be seen in the opening footage of 'The Dark Crystal' in which the castle is set against a strange background with white sparkles flowing across the ground and a stormy cloud formation and lighting effect overhead.

Does anyone feel what I'm talking about?

Not really. I'm fine with today's movies. The old movies are too...fake.

No thanks. I'd rather see CGI than horrendously bad puppet animation any day. That's just your nostalgia speaking.

You think Merlin is good? Lol, that's cute.

... so computers and green screens vs jerky puppets and old-school sfx? they're all about equal IMO.

TokyoRed: "We should get back to old school entertainment!"
Tj92: "No."
grenworthshero: "No."
Machu: "No."
TBD: "Eh."

So going by your examples, when you say "The Real" you mean "The Imaginary"?

I thought you were talking about puppets vs CGI until I noticed you listed My Neighbour Totoro as an example. Which, being an anime, uses no physical props whatsoever. So I don't havea clue what you're talking about, lol.

"The real" is definitely the wrong term for what you're referring to. It implies, well, realism when what you're talking about is "mystical" and "magical". Does not compute.

Anyway, I disagree. The recent movies and television shows you mentioned having retained your so-called "real" all have their fair share of CGI effects. Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy had that wondrous essence and made great use of CGI alongside animatronics, scale models, matte painting and other traditional film trickery.

I don't believe it's about what era the shows came from or the techniques they used or ignored. It's about the talent brought to the table and the freedom they are given to operate without intrusive commercial restraints and obligations. I believe that grand feeling you're referring to is the synergy that occurs when masterful writing meets consistent, impressive direction - a rare occurrence.

It's possibly also the fact that traditional adventure tales have been disappearing as Hollywood becomes more taken with more gritty, edgy stories. The games industry is somewhat the same, too.

Movie makers like Jerry Bruckheimer, Jim Henson, George Lucas, Hayao Miyazaki, Guillermo Del Toro, Gary Kurtz and Frank Oz all have true talent and they make the 'imaginary' real. We could say 'a fantasy made real' is what those men do best. I have nothing against CGI but I do appreciate the good quality of getting down and creative with raw materials as Hensen did with The Dark Crystal and Burton did with 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. What I'm saying is let's not allow CGI animation to drown out the other animation art forms.

Besides, this isn't just about live action animation. Look at how the Michael Jackson 'Captain EO' and 'Billy Jean' videos contained the same 'magical, other worldly' tone, look and feel that can be seen in the mystical 'The Dark Crystal'.

lol, that's about it :3

@TokyoRed: Henson.

@ TBD, Thx, I stand corrected in spelling!

@JumpMad, LOL! You've got me rolling on the floor man.

Despite the fact Merlin is about magic and what have you, that doesn't mean it's not rubbish.
Although, I do agree that old special effects can be just as effective as modern day stuff (If used imaginatively).
E.G: Wallace and Gromit

I see what you are saying now. My answer to your question is......kinda.

The style of animation used needs to specific to getting the movie makers artistic vision across. Could you imagine Toy Story done in claymation? Could you imagine Avatar with puppets? Sometimes its just not the right way to go. They still make amazing things with an old school flair, like Coraline or MegaMan 9 for example, there will always be someone wanting to capture the magic of the past.

Though you cant stop progress either. I am excited for what the future brings as well.

HolyMackeral is like so right on target.

I also agree with you JayArr, you're also raising some good food for thought.

I think that what we need is a resurgence of the use of animatronics, scale models and all of that stuff in conjunction with CGI sort of like we've seen in the Harry Potter movies.

I like old and new stuff. The old for nostalgia's sake and the new for the better technology they bring to the table. It's also fun to imagine what movies will be like in another 10-20 years. Yikes!

Well idk why you call it "The Real"... but it is true that these days its all about explosions, guns, killing, monsters. Its basically been overrun by action and horror movies

I know right? I'm totally and completely ticked off. Sucker Punch was beyond awful. Michael Bay's movies make one want to puke, and gag and then lay down head off to a peaceful island out in the Pacific. However, we're in for a good summer with movies like Green Lantern, Thor, Captain America, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Spielberg's animated Tin Tin movie. Then there is Disney's Brave and Tim Burton's Sleeping Beauty next year. There are also rumblings that Del Toro might return to making those animated Hellboy movies again.

I seriously want to see a 'Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' movie but I don't think Nintendo wants to head back to the box office anytime soon. I would not be surprised if Nintendo opts for animated TV shows for Star Fox, Zelda and Kid Icarus though. At lest we've got Adventure Time though.

I'm sure once movie makers get bored out of their minds with explosions, zombies, guns and half naked girls then they'll resume making good movies like The Dark Crystal, DeMill's The Ten Commandment's and The Lord of the Rings again.